Cutting Off Members

Ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ χεῖρα δεξιὰν ὁ πανάγαθος Χριστὸς τὴν ἐγγύτητα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων καὶ γνησίων ἡμῖν ἐπωνόμασε, τοὺς εὔνους ἡμῖν πρὸς γνησίαν συνεργίαν, ἐκείνοις καλέσας τῶν μελῶν τοῖς ὀνόμασι, δι' ὦν ἡμεῖς τὰ ἀρέσκοντα πράττομεν. Ὅταν οὖν τος ἐξ αὐτῶν σκανδάλου αἴτιος γένηται, καὶ ἁμαρτίᾳ καλινδῆταί τινι, ἡμῖν λοιδορίαν φερούσῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν προξενούσῃ, ἐκκόπτειν χρὴ τὸν τοιοῦτον, ἵνα μὴ λοιμὸν μιμησάμενος, νεμηθῇ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀκεραιότητα, τοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν ἐκ τοιούτων παθῶν εἰσφρήσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀλγηδόνα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΠΓ', Λεοντιῳ Ἐπισκοπῳ

The eye and the right hand the all good Christ announces as the relationship of most needful and genuine friends,1 those who are truly concerned to assist us, these he calls by the names of members, things through which we may do good. When, then, one of them becomes a cause of scandal, wallowing in some sin, bringing on us reproach and on himself disgrace, it is necessary to cut him off, lest in the manner of some disease, the integrity of the body be corrupted, and with health failing one is brought to the same state as the one who harms. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 83, To the Bishop Leontius 1 Mt 18. 8-9